The present invention relates to bicycle suspension systems and more particularly to a suspension system disposed in a bicycle fork,
Suspension systems typically used on handlebar-steered vehicles such as bicycles and motorcycles are designed to absorb the impacts and vibrations experienced by riders when the bicycles traverse irregularities on the riding surface. Suspension systems may be positioned in or proximate to the front fork, seat tube, head tube, and other bicycle frame locations. A suspension system in the head or steerer tubes, for example, may include an outer tube and an inner tube slidable within the outer tube, a shock-absorbing mechanism, a steering control mechanism, and two bushings between the inner and outer tubes to facilitate sliding motion between the inner and outer tubes. One drawback of this type of suspension is that the fork may not be able to handle some fore/aft loading when the distance between the two bushings, or the bushing length, is too small. This may lead to binding of the fork. Another drawback of suspension systems in the head or steerer tubes is that the tube length may need to be increased to accommodate the suspension system. However, it is desirable to have a shorter steerer tube. Therefore, there is a need for a suspension system within a head tube or steerer tube that provides a good bushing length packaged within a relatively shorter tube length.